Swallow Sidecar Company | Autopedia | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit William Walmsley had previously been manufacturing motorcycle sidecars and bolting them to reconditioned motorbikes. Lyons had recognised the commercial potential of these products and together they went into production with a £1000 loan and a small team of employees. [1] In 1926 they diversified into the car coachwork business, changing the company name to Swallow Sidecar and Coachbuilding Company. Lyons had recognised the potential of the popular, but basic Austin 7 . Having sourced an Austin chassis from a dealer in Bolton, Lancashire, he commissioned the talented coachbuilder Cyril Holland to produce a more fashionable body for the car. These Austin Seven Swallows proved popular at a time of economic hardship for many, being inexpensive at only £175 yet resembling more expensive cars of the period. The increase in business, together with a shortage of skilled labour in Blackpool, made it necessary to be nearer the centre of the British car industry. In 1928 they moved into an old ammunition factory in Holbrook Lane, Coventry.

In 1929 the company was sufficiently confident to go to the expense of taking a stand at the London Motor Show where three new Swallow models appeared based on the Standard , Swift and Fiat chassis. For the 1931 show the company launched the SS1 and the smaller SSII, this time using a chassis produced exclusively for them by the Standard Motor Company. Meanwhile a model of rather more sporting pretensions was introduced with the Swallow version of the Wolseley Hornet, and in 1932 the even more sporty Hornet Special. [2] In 1934 the company was renamed as SS Cars Ltd (eventually becoming Jaguar Cars Ltd in 1945). At the same time Walmsley, who did not share the same ambitions as Lyons, retired from the company. Sidecar production was now by Swallow Coachbuilding Co. (1935) Ltd. of Albion Road, Birmingham, 11.

[3] At the end of 1945, the Helliwell Group, an aircraft maintenance firm, bought the name and goodwill of the now defunct Swallow side car manufacturer, Swallow Coachbuilding Company (1935) Ltd, from SS Cars Limited. Sidecars produced at Helliwells' Walsall Airport works were built in the same way as the originals and used the same patented trademark. [4] They closed shop in the late 1950s. The History of Jaguar Car Directory / Jaguar / History The History Of Jaguar Jaguar Cars Limited is a high-end car manufacturer with its headquarters in Coventry, England, now owned by Indian-based Tata Motors and operated as part of Jaguar Land Rover. The company was founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company in Blackpool in 1922, changing to SS Cars Ltd in 1934 in Coventry, and finally becoming Jaguar Cars Ltd in 1945.

Following several subsequent changes of ownership since the 1960s, the company was listed on the London Stock Exchange and became a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index, but is now owned by India's Tata Motors, and was acquired together with Land Rover from Ford on 2 June 2008. Jaguar Cars holds Royal Warrants from HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Charles. Founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, by two motorcycle enthusiasts, William Lyons and William Walmsley, the SS Jaguar name first appeared on a 2.5 litre saloon in 1935. The Jaguar name was given to the entire company in 1945 when the SS was dropped due to lack of popularity from WWII. Jaguar made its name in the 1950s with a series of elegantly-styled sports cars and luxury saloons. The company bought the Daimler Motor Company (not to be confused with Daimler-Benz), in 1960 from Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA). From the late 1960s, Daimler was used as a brand name for Jaguar's most luxurious saloons.

Mergers and nationalisation Jaguar merged with the British Motor Corporation (BMC), the Austin-Morris combine, to form British Motor Holdings (BMH) in 1966. After merging with Leyland, which had already taken over Rover and Standard Triumph, the resultant company then became the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC) in 1968. Financial difficulties and the publication of the Ryder Report led to effective nationalisation in 1975 and the company became British Leyland Ltd (later simply BL plc). In the 1970s the Jaguar and Daimler marques formed part of BL's specialist car division or Jaguar Rover Triumph Ltd until a restructure in the early 1980s saw most of the BL volume car manufacturing side becoming the Austin Rover Group within which Jaguar was not included. Privatisation In 1984, Jaguar was floated off as a separate company on the stock market — one of the Thatcher government's many privatisations.

Purchase by Ford The Ford Motor Company made an offer to purchase the company in September 1989 which was adapted at an Extraordinary General Meeting in January 1990 and Jaguar was removed from the London Stock Exchange listings on 28 February 1990. In 1999 it became part of Ford's new Premier Automotive Group along with Aston Martin, Volvo Cars and, from 2000, Land Rover; Aston Martin was subsequently sold off in 2007. Between Ford purchasing Jaguar in 1989 and selling it in 2008 it did not earn any profit for the Dearborn-based auto manufacturer. Since Land Rover's 2002 purchase by Ford, it has been closely associated with Jaguar. In many countries they share a common sales and distribution network (including shared dealerships), and some models now share components, although the only shared production facility is Halewood, for the X-Type and the Freelander 2. However operationally the two companies were effectively integrated under a common management structure within Ford's PAG.

Sale by Ford On 11 June 2007, Ford announced that it planned to sell Jaguar, along with Land Rover and retained the services of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and HSBC to advise it on the deal. The sale was initially expected to be announced by September 2007, but was delayed until March 2008. Private equity firms such as Alchemy Partners of the UK, TPG Capital, Ripplewood Holdings (which hired former Ford Europe executive Sir Nick Scheele to head its bid), Cerberus Capital Management and One Equity Partners (owned by JP Morgan Chase and managed by former Ford executive Jacques Nasser) of the US, Tata Motors of India and a consortium comprising Mahindra and Mahindra (an auto manufacturer from India) and Apollo Management all initially expressed interest in purchasing the marques from the Ford Motor Company. Before the sale was announced, Anthony Bamford, chairman of British excavators manufacturer JCB had expressed interest in purchasing the company in August 2006, but backed out when told the sale would also involve Land Rover, which he did not wish to buy.

On Christmas Eve of 2007, Mahindra and Mahindra backed out of the race for both brands, citing complexities in the deal. On 1 January 2008, Ford made a formal announcement which declared Tata as the preferred bidder.Tata Motors also received endorsements from the Transport And General Worker's Union (TGWU)-Amicus combine as well as from Ford. According to the rules of the auction process, this announcement would not automatically disqualify any other potential suitor. However, Ford (as well as representatives of Unite) would now be able to enter into more focused and detailed discussions with Tata to iron out issues ranging from labour concerns (job security and pensions), technology (IT systems and engine production) and intellectual property, as well as the final sale price. Ford would also open its books for a more comprehensive due diligence by Tata. On 18 March 2008, Reuters reported that American bankers Citigroup and JP Morgan shall be underwriting a loan of USD 3 billion in order to finance the deal.

Purchase by Tata Motors On 26 March 2008, Ford announced that it had agreed to sell its Jaguar and Land Rover operations to Tata Motors of India, and that the sale was expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2008. Included in the deal were the rights to three other British brands, Jaguar's own Daimler, as well as two dormant brands Lanchester and Rover. On 2 June 2008 the sale to Tata was completed. The Swallow Sidecar company was originally located in Blackpool but moved to Holbrook Lane, Coventry in 1928 when demand for the Austin Swallow became too great for the factory's capacity. In 1951, having outgrown the original Coventry site they moved again to Browns Lane which had been a wartime "shadow factory" run by the Daimler Motor Company. Today, Jaguars are assembled at Castle Bromwich in Birmingham and Halewood in Liverpool.

The historic Browns Lane plant ceased trim and final operations in 2005, the x350 XJ having already moved to Castle Bromwich two years prior, leaving the XK and S-Type production to Castle Bromwich and the X-Type at Halewood, alongside the new Land Rover Freelander 2, from 2007. A reduced Browns Lane site still operates today producing veneers for Jaguar Land Rover and others, as well as some engineering facilities. The Jaguar company started production with the pre-war 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 litre models which used engines designed by the Standard Motor Company. The 1.5 litre four-cylinder engine was still supplied by Standard but the two larger six-cylinder ones were made in house. These cars have become known unofficially as Mark IVs. The first post war model was the 1948 Mark V available with either 2.5 or 3.5 litre engines and had a more streamlined appearance than pre-war models, but more important was the change to independent front suspension and hydraulic brakes.

The big breakthrough was the launch in 1948 of the XK120 sports car, with the new XK twin overhead camshaft (DOHC) 3.5 litre hemi-head six-cylinder engine designed by William Heynes, Walter Hassan and Claude Baily. This engine had been designed during the long nights during the war when they would be on fire watch in the factory. After several attempts a final design was arrived at. That is until owner William Lyons said "make it quieter". The car had originally been intended as a short production model of about 200 vehicles as a test bed for the new engine until its intended home, the new Mark VII saloon, was ready. The XK120's reception was such that production continued until 1954; it was followed by the XK140, the XK150, and the E-Type, keeping Jaguar in the sports car market. Introducing the large Mark VII saloon in 1951, a car especially conceived for the American market, Jaguar soon found itself overwhelmed with orders. The Mark VII and its successors gathered rave reviews from magazines such as Road & Track and The Motor.

In 1956 a Mark VII won the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally. The 1955 Mark 1 small saloon was the first monocoque (unibody) car from Jaguar and used a 2.4 litre short stroke version of the XK engine. In 1959, the car was improved with a larger engine and wider windows and became the Mark 2, one of the most recognizable Jaguar models ever produced. It would be popular with British police forces for its small size, light weight, and powerful engine. The Mark VIII of 1956 and Mark IX of 1958 were essentially updates of the Mark VII but the Mark X of 1961 was a completely new design of large saloon with all round independent suspension and unibody construction. The independent rear suspension from the Mark X was incorporated in the 1963 S-Type which closely resembled the Mark 2, and in 1967 the Mark 2 name was dropped when the small saloon became the 240/340 range.

The 420 of 1966, also sold as the Daimler Sovereign, put a new front onto the S-type, although both cars continued in parallel until the S-Type was dropped in 1968. The Mark X became the 420G in 1966. Of the more recent saloons, the most significant is the XJ (1968-present), still the definitive Jaguar saloon car for many. Since 1968 the Series I XJ has seen major changes in 1973 (to Series II), 1979 (Series III), 1986 Europe/1987 United States (XJ40), 1995 (X300), 1997 (to the V-8 powered X308), 2003 (the present model, X350). The most luxurious XJ models carry either the Vanden Plas (US) or Daimler (rest of world) nameplates.

The name is pronounced /ˈdʒægjuːɚ/ "jag-u-ar" (except in North America where it is often pronounced /ˈdʒægwɑr/ "jag-wahr") with the term "Jag" being used colloquially.

Sports: 1935–1949 1½ Litre saloon 1955–1959 Mark 1 1935–1948 2½ Litre saloon 1937–1948 3½ Litre saloon 1948–1951 Mark V 1951–1957 Mark VII (& VIIM) 1957–1959 Mark VIII 1968–1987 XJ6 Series 1, 2 & 3 1972–1992 XJ12 1995–1997 XJ6 & XJ12 (X300 & X301) 1998–2003 XJ8 (X308) Swallow Sidecar Company - Wikicars Swallow Sidecar Company Jump to: navigation , search 1931 Austin 7 Swallow saloon The Swallow Sidecar Company was founded in Blackpool, England on the 4th September 1922 by the two friends William Walmsley and the

 21 year old William Lyons , who had served his apprenticeship with Crossley Motors in Manchester.

Contents 4 External Links History William Walmsley had previously been manufacturing motorcycle sidecars and bolting them to reconditioned motorbikes. Lyons had recognised the commercial potential of these products and together they went into production with a £1000 loan and a small team of employees.<ref> Jaguar Enthusiasts Jaguar History (Retrieved 18 July 2007)</ref> In 1926 they diversified into the car coachwork business, changing the company name to Swallow Sidecar and Coachbuilding Company. Lyons had recognised the potential of the popular, but basic Austin 7 . Having sourced an Austin chassis from a dealer in Bolton, Lancashire, he commissioned the talented coachbuilder Cyril Holland to produce a more fashionable body for the car. These Austin Seven Swallows proved popular at a time of economic hardship for many, being inexpensive at only £175 yet resembling more expensive cars of the period. The increase in business, together with a shortage of skilled labour in Blackpool, made it necessary to be nearer the centre of the British car industry. In 1928 they moved into an old ammunition factory in Holbrook Lane, Coventry.

In 1929 the company was sufficiently confident to go to the expense of taking a stand at the London Motor Show where three new Swallow models appeared based on the Standard , Swift and Fiat chassis. For the 1931 show the company launched the SS1 and the smaller SSII, this time using a chassis produced exclusively for them by the Standard Motor Company. Meanwhile a model of rather more sporting pretensions was introduced with the Swallow version of the Wolseley Hornet, and in 1932 the even more sporty Hornet Special. <ref> Jaguar Enthusiasts Wolseley Hornet Swallow (Retrieved 11 September 2007)</ref> In 1934 the company was renamed as SS Cars Ltd (eventually becoming Jaguar Cars Ltd in 1945). At the same time Walmsley, who did not share the same ambitions as Lyons, retired from the company. Sidecar production was now by Swallow Coachbuilding Co. (1935) Ltd. of Albion Road, Birmingham, 11.

<ref> Scooter-Sidecars Swallow (Retrieved 18 July 2007)</ref> At the end of 1945, the Helliwell Group, an aircraft maintenance firm, bought the name and goodwill of the now defunct Swallow side car manufacturer, Swallow Coachbuilding Company (1935) Ltd, from SS Cars Limited. Sidecars produced at Helliwells' Walsall Airport works were built in the same way as the originals and used the same patented trademark.<ref> Doretti Swallow Doretti (Retrieved 18 July 2007)</ref> They closed shop in the late 1950s. Swallow Sidecars Swallow Sidecars Country: William Walmsley The Swallow story began in a Blackpool garage, where a young man named William Walmsley was engaged in the profitable hobby of refurbishing ex-War Department Triumph motor-cycles to meet the post-World War 1 demand for wheeled transport. In a desire to grow the company, he began to build sporting sidecars, helped by his sister and his wife.

William Lyons Among his customers was the son of the local piano manufacturer, twenty-year-old William Lyons, who suggested that the two should go into partnership to manufacture sidecars in quantity-perhaps ten or more weekly. As soon as Lyons was 21, the Swallow Sidecar company was formed - on 4 September 1922, with a capital of UK�1000 raised on the credit of the partners' fathers. They moved into a larger factory, in two of the three storeys of an old building at 7-9 Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, with a total manpower of eight. The Swallow Sidecars, octagonal in cross section and panelled in polished aluminum, looked like little Art Deco airships, their sporting lines contrasting strongly with the average contemporary sidecar, whose 'sit-up-and-beg' styling appeared to be based on the household bath. Hardly surprisingly the Swallow sidecars attracted both attention and customers and, before long, sales were going through the roof, and the fledgling company was compelled to look for a larger factory; this was in the summer of 1926.

They found what they were seeking at Cocker Street, Blackpool, and, within two days, the company and its thirty employees had moved into the new works, aided only by a hired pantechnicon (horse drawn removalist van) and driver. Herbert Austin's Seven They were now able to fulfil an ambition of branching out into car bodywork, and the car they chose to endow with specialist coachwork was, interestingly enough, the car which most threatened their livelihood as sidecar manufacturers. Sir Herbert Austin's little Seven had appeared four years before, one of the parameters in its design being that it must occupy the same ground area as a motor-cycle combination. In terms of price, it could undercut the more expensive sidecar outfits. In terms of appearance, the Austin Seven was unashamedly utilitarian and square rigged, though. The Austin Swallow Swallow imparted to their coachwork an exaggerated voluptuousness which made it stand out from other attempts to coachbuild on the Seven. Not that the Austin Swallow was particularly well proportioned, as its bustle-like tail stuck out too far at the back, and its new, rounded radiator cowl was set ahead of the front axle.

However, it was just what was required by a generation of motorists who wanted something more individual, but did not have correspondinly deep pockets with which to realise their dream. Announced in May 1927, the Austin Swallow was an immediate success, as its list price of �175 included most of the refinements conspicuously absent from the standard item; for another �10, customers could have a hinged hardtop instead of the folding hood. The Swallow Side Car and Coachbuilding Company So, the Swallow Sidecar Company became the Swallow Side Car and Coachbuilding Company, manufacturers of sidecars and light-car bodies, coach painters and trimmers. Three months after the appearance of the Austin Swallow, the company announced the Morris-Cowley Swallow two-seater, but it looked too much like the MG (without that marque's added performance) to prosper, and only a few examples were built. Swallow were also rumoured to have produced the bodies for the ephemeral Sports Clyno while they were still at Bloomfield Road, but none of the employees from that era could remember this when questioned many years later, and we cannot produce any evidence.

William Lyons, the power behind Swallow and the founder of Jaguar. He was eventually knighted for his services to the motor industry of Great Britain. 1927 Austin Swallow Mark I. It was produced in time for the 1928 London Motor Show. 1929 Austin Swallow Mark II. The Austin Swallow was released in 1927, and was based on the Austin Seven. It cost UK£175 when released. 1937 SS100, shown here with the Jaguar radiator emblem. In any case, the Austin Swallow was prospering mightily. In 1928, when a four-seater saloon was added to the range, Austin Seven chassis were arriving in batches of fifty-although there was nowhere to store them at Cocker Street, and the company's 'temporary' storage facilities in the goods yard of Blackpool North station was rapidly exhausting the goodwill of the railway staff. Weekly output had reached a dozen cars and sidecars, and the inadequacies of the Cocker Street factory had become all too apparent.

Swallow moved once again and, as the production of sidecars was rapidly taking second place to the building of car bodies, the firm moved nearer the source of their chassis, to Foleshill, Coventry, in November 1928. The Standard Ensign It might have seemed an inauspicious time to make a move, with the depression just around the corner, but in fact the financial crisis helped Swallow, as many people who found themselves in 'reduced circumstances' bought Swallow-bodied cars as a cheap form of individual motoring. At the 1929 Olympia Show, it was seen that Swallow had extended their range, too, and were now producing enlarged versions of the Austin coachwork on Swift Ten, Fiat 509A and, most significantly, Standard Big Nine chassis. In 1931 William Lyons, took a step nearer becoming a car manufacturer in his own right when he announced a new conversion, on the six-cylinder Standard Ensign chassis, thus establishing a choice of power unit which was to last into the 1940s. WAIT! THE SS IS COMING!

Then, as the 1931 Motor Show drew near, tantalising advertisements began to appear: 'SS is the name of a new car that's going to thrill the hearts of the motoring public and the trade alike. It's something utterly new ... different ... better. Long ... low ... very low ... and very FAST! At the Show two SS coupes of surpassing beauty will be presented. WAIT! THE SS IS COMING!' On 9 October the SS duly came. No one was quite sure, not was the company saying, whether the initials stood for 'Standard Swallow' or 'Swallow Special' but, whatever the truth of the matter, the new cars had engines and chassis built by Standard to Lyons' specifications, and were fitted with coachwork of exaggerated, almost meretricious, lowness. While the standard Standard Sixteen stood 5 ft 8 in high, the SS was only 4 ft 7 in off the ground, thanks to a double-dropped chassis frame and a minimum of headroom.

Apart from the SS Sixteen, there was also an SSII, based on the Standard Little Nine; the 16 hp coupe (no other style was available) was UK�298 and the 9 hp coupe was UK�198. The original SSI was a car of such exaggerated lines that the rear passengers sat in a curious little dickey seat in the luggage trunk. Overdone the styling may have been, but it created the desired effect. Frank Hough, of Henlys, their London distributor, offered to buy half of the first year's output, provided that at least 1000 cars were produced. The Beauty That is Swallow Even though the actual figure fell over 200 short of this target, public response was sufficient to cement a lasting bond between Henlys and SS. The wilder excesses of the styling were toned down in 1932, in which year a 20 hp six also became available. Showtime advertising extolled 'the beauty that is Swallow', although the specialist bodies on production chassis were being phased out in favour of the SS line.

'Was beauty in car design ever before expressed in such striking fashion as it is in the I933 SS?' queried the company's advertising. 'Olympia will. again emphasise that its individuality and distinction are beyond comparison. A full four-seater saloon with sliding roof, comprehensive and tasteful equipment, the SSI is a car to be desired by the motorist of discrimination.' Late in I934, the SS Car Company Limited was floated to take over car manufacture, while sidecar production was continued by the Swallow Coach building Company (I935) Limited. The firm had already expanded to fill the thirteen-acre Foleshill site, and had acquired neighbouring land for further development. At the time of the reorganisation, Mills & Fullford (the original inventors of the sidecar) were supplying chassis for sidecar bodies, and from 1935 this side of the activity passed to Grindlay-Peerless, who provided the company's sidecar chassis up to the outbreak of war.

SS Jaguars The SSI and SSII were continued until 1936, having been augmented by the SSI Airline saloon late in 1934 and the SSI Drophead and the SS90 sports in early 1935; later that year, Walmsley resigned, to build caravans of advanced design. In the autumn of 1935, the first SS Jaguars appeared, followed by the classic SS 100 sports; they were powered by a new overhead-valve version of the Standard-based engine, developing 102 bhp from 2.5 liters. There was a 1.5-liter side-valve Jaguar sedan which also gained overhead valves the following year, while a 3.5-liter overhead-valve engine was added in the autumn of 1937. Output rose to around 250 cars a week, for the Jaguar was a far more practical mode of transport than its predecessor. The SS Jaguar offered a comfortably compliant ride in a middle-class sort of a way, although not particularly well designed from the driver's point of view.

After the war, it did not really matter whether SS stood for 'Swallow Special' or 'Standard Swallow', for the letters had acquired another, more sinister meaning from another source ... and SS Cars Limited became Jaguar Cars . An early photo of the Swallow Sidecar workshops. Austin Swallow 2 seater. SS - SS Cars History SS SS Cars Ltd History (jaguar) (1934-1945) Renamed to Jaguar Cars Ltd Successor(s) SS Cars Ltd was a British car maker. It grew out of the Swallow Sidecar Company and was first registered under the new name in 1934. Some conjecture to the origins of the SS name exist, It was John Black who when asked the meaning of SS said it has always stood for Standard Swallow. William Lyons when asked, bearing in mind he was in the company of the suppliers of chassis for his run of the mill production cars was noncommittal, until, after the exclusive use of Standard Chassis began at which point he concurred. In 1945 the company changed its name to Jaguar Cars Ltd, because of the connotations of the use of the SS name by Nazi Germany.

The Swallow Sidecar Company had moved from its roots making stylish sidecars to become first a coachbuilder adding new bodies to other makers chassis and running gear and in 1932 launched a car of its own, the SSI. It had also moved in 1928 from Blackpool to Coventry, in the heart of the British motor Under the guidance of the chairman, William Lyons, the company survived the depression years by making a series of beautifully styled cars offering exceptional value for money although some enthusiasts criticised them at the time for being "more show than go". The engines and chassis were supplied by the Standard Motor Company with a large design input to the latter from SS with the bodywork being added in the Coventry works. In 1929 John Black (standard motor company) and William Lyons realised a long standing dream and produced a one of a kind sports car, This "First" SS ( standard Swallow ) was a sleek Boat Tail Roadster, Its flowing design and streamlining, points to an obvious attempt at making a fast car, possibly with the intention of venturing into racing. This car is believed to have been shipped to Australia in the late 1940s.

The first of the SS range of cars available to the public was the 1932 SSI with 2- or 2 1⁄2-litre side-valve, six-cylinder engine and the SSII with a four-cylinder 1-litre side-valve engine. Initially available as coupé or tourer a saloon was added in 1934, when the chassis was modified to be 2 inches (50 mm) wider. The first of the sports cars came in 1935 with the SS90, so called because of its 90 mph (140 km/h) top speed. This car used the 2 1⁄2-litre side-valve, six-cylinder engine. Only 23 were made. To counteract the "more show than go" criticism Lyons engaged William Heynes and Harry Weslake. Weslake was asked to redesign the 2 1⁄2-litre 70 bhp side-valve engine to achieve 90 bhp. His answer was an overhead-valve design that produced 102 bhp and it was this engine that launched the new SS Jaguar sports and saloon cars in 1936.

The sports car carried the title: SS Jaguar "100". One of the finest looking cars of all time, only 198 of the 2 1⁄2-litre and 116 of the 3 1⁄2-litre models were made and with a 100 mph (160 km/h) top speed and 0-60 mph time of 11 seconds the survivors are highly sought after, rarely coming on the market. The SS Jaguar 2 1⁄2-litre saloon with its 102 bhp six-cylinder Weslake-designed engine caused a sensation when it was launched to the press and dealers at the Mayfair Hotel, London. The audience were asked to write down the UK price for which they thought the car would be sold: the average of their answers was £765. Even in that deflationary period, the actual price at just £395would have been a pleasant surprise for many customers. Also available was a similar looking but scaled-down version using a 1 1⁄2-litre four-cylinder side-valve engine. In 1938 production moved from coachbuilt (wood framed) to all steel construction.

A 3 1⁄2-litre was also added to the range at this point. The 2 1⁄2- and 3 1⁄2-litre cars shared the same chassis and body design although it was necessary to use a wider radiator for the 3 1⁄2-litre. The new 1 1⁄2-litre for 1938 used the same body shell as the six-cylinder cars but on a shorter chassis. The engine was also increased to 1776 cc and had overhead valves. Car production stopped in 1940. After the war SS Cars Ltd dropped their SS identity and adopted the Jaguar model name as the company name and when production restarted the saloons were simply named Jaguar 1 1⁄2-, 2 1⁄2- or 3 1⁄2-litre. The model that followed these cars was called the Jaguar Mark V and so the immediate post war trio have become known unofficially as the Mark IV Jaguars. The sidecar making business along with the Swallow trademark was sold, the new company making the Swallow Doretti sports car. Swallow Coachbuilding Co. (1935) Ltd.

#07720862 is owned by Canadian Peter Schömer of Chichester, West Sussex England. Swallow trade mark #2591789 and the winged SS logo is registered at the Intellectual Property Office, that is also owned by the Swallow Coachbuilding Co.(1935) Ltd.

1935–49 SS Jaguar & Jaguar Mark IV 1935–40 SS Jaguar 1 1⁄2-litre saloon & drophead 1935–40 SS Jaguar 2 1⁄2-litre saloon & drophead 1938–40 SS Jaguar 3 1⁄2-litre saloon & drophead 1946–49 "Jaguar" 1 1⁄2-litre saloon 1946–48 "Jaguar" 2 1⁄2-litre saloon 1946–48 "Jaguar" 3 1⁄2-litre saloon Cool Cars - The History of Jaguar Cool Cars - The History of Jaguar Jaguar, one of the coolest cars in history, if not the coolest, got its start oddly enough in sidecars back in year 1922. Living in Blackpool, England, and at the age of 21, Billy Lyons formed a partnership with his neighbor William Walmsley; the Swallow Sidecar Company was born.

They switched direction later stopping the production of sidecars and started building the coach, the SS line – first real sports car. Their new endeavor eventually leads to the very first Jaguar launch in 1932. In 1945, all cars made by Lyons and Walmsley bore initials SS – attributed as a reminder of their sidecar roots – but these were dropped off when they realized the letters resembled labels of WWII Nazi Troops. The SS’s new name became Jaguar. Prior to the Jaguar , the company produced many beautiful, luxury saloon cars – American sedan car equivalent – that received as much criticism as praise. There were those who proclaimed the Jaguar was more concerned with the body’s glam and style than reliability and pure performance. The main Jaguar plant, still headquartered in Coventry, Great Britain, has dealt more with design and assembly of the body rather than the stages of all-car production. Standard Motor Company supplied the motors and two racecar enthusiasts passionate about engine development, William Heynes and Harry Weslake modified the first engines to fit the Jaguar. To the automotive industry’s amazement, Jaguar launched the XK120.

Accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in under 5 seconds and capable of delivering 180 hp, the 3.4 liter XK could reach better than 125 mph at top speed. Affordability, sporty slim oval shaped grille and sheer performance turned the Jaguar into the icon it is known as today. Jaguar changed direction, during the 1950s, with its first Mk VII complete line, their new emphasis on large sedans (saloon cars). The new cars, despite having the XK engines under the hood, were not very successful; but the Mk II, a smaller and differently styled sedan became the second bestselling car of the time for Jaguar. In the meantime, the XK was making a distinguished mark on racetracks around the world, becoming known as record breaking. The years 1951 and 1953, held famous racing victories for Jaguar and in 1955, 1956 and 1957 the D-type – often referred to as the aircraft on wheels – claimed its racetrack victories as well. Jaguar had built a strong reputation when the 1960s rolled around.

With the official reveal of the E-type at the Geneva Auto Show in March 1961, the car was a record breaker and Jaguar continued to be admired for its sheer performance – capable of reaching 150 mph – and beautifully styled body in the automotive industry. Jaguar’s new model sporting an overhead cam engine, four wheel disc brakes and independent rear suspension was unlike anything ever seen by the world. In 1975, after 70K plus E-type units, production stopped and replaced by the, not so successful XJS. In 1972, Sir William Lyons retired and the company fell short in rising to the standards set by its founder, eventually rescue for the company heading for bankruptcy came from the Leyland Company. Jaguar bought its way out of debt to Leyland, but after losing its former appeal and battle for an impressive comeback, in 1989, Jaguar sold to Ford Motor Company along with the British Land Rover. Approximately 19 years later, in 2008, Ford sold Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors, an Indian group. If you are the owner of a Jaguar it is important to protect your car from the elements.

Whether it is a classic, XKE or something newer, we have a custom fit cover just right for you. Select a high quality; durable Jaguar car cover which will give you the protection that you need. Order online today! Jaguar History Timeline 1922 Sir William Lyons and William Walmsley become partners – Blackpool, England Swallow Sidecar Company founded – built motorcycle sidecars 1926 Body manufacturing began – luxurious and attractive Morris, Austin Seven, Standard, Swift, Fiat, and Cowley 1927 Swallow Sidecar Company | Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki Share 1931 Austin 7 Swallow saloon The Swallow Sidecar Company was founded on 4 September 1922 by two friends, William Walmsley (b. 1891) and William Lyons (b. 1901). Both families lived in the same street in Blackpool , England. Walmsley had previously been making sidecars and bolting them onto reconditioned motorcycles. Lyons had served his apprenticeship at Crossley Motors in Manchester before moving to Brown and Mallalieu as a junior salesman.

[1] Lyons, having recognised the commercial potential for these sidecars, joined Walmsley and together they obtained premises in Blackpool with the assistance of a £1,000 overdraft. With a small team of employees they were able to begin commercial production of the motorcycle sidecars. [2] The company diversified in 1926, changing its name to the Swallow Sidecar and Coachbuilding Company and moved into the car coachwork business. [3] The first car that Lyons and Walmsley worked on was the Austin 7 , a popular and inexpensive vehicle. Lyons had persuaded a dealer in Bolton, Lancashire to supply him with an Austin 7 chassis and commissioned Cyril Holland, a coachbuilder from the Midlands, to create a distinctive, open tourer body. The result was the 1927 Austin Seven Swallow. Priced at only £175, the Swallow, with its brightly coloured two-tone bodywork and a style that imitated the more expensive cars of the time, proved popular at a time of financial hardship for many. Soon after, a saloon version was produced: the Austin Seven Swallow Saloon.

In 1927 the "Sidecar" was dropped from the name, and it became the Swallow Coachbuilding Company. [4] The increasing demand for Swallows made it necessary to move the company closer to the heart of the British car industry and so, in 1928, they moved to a part disused First World War munitions factory at Holbrook Lane, Coventry . Business continued to grow and in 1929 the company was sufficiently confident to go to the expense of taking a stand at the London Motor Show . Three new Swallow models appeared in 1929, based on Standard , Swift , and Fiat chassis. Also in 1929 John Black and Willia Lyons realised a long standing dream and produced a one of a kind sports car, This "First" SS ( standard Swallow ) was a sleek Boat Tail Roadster with a flowing, streamlined design and pointed to an obvious attempt at making a fast car, possibly with the intention of venturing into racing. This car is believed to have been shipped to Australia in the late 40's. Lyons wanted to move away from just being a coachbuilder and reliance on other manufacturers' existing chassis.

He commissioned a custom chassis from the Standard Motor Company , fitted with either a 2 or 2.5 litre Standard engine. At the 1931 Motor Show he unveiled the S.S.1 coupé and a smaller 1 litre version, the S.S.II. The continued success and expansion of the SS range resulted in the creation of the S.S. Cars Ltd motor company by Lyons in 1934. Walmsley, who did not share Lyons' ambitions, left the company at this time. After the Second World War, due to the unfavourable connotations of the SS initials, the company was renamed Jaguar Cars Ltd in 1945. Swallow Doretti Page - Austin Swallow to Swallow Doretti Swallow Doretti Page The Swallow Coachbuilding Company From Austin Swallow to Swallow Doretti The Swallow Doretti was built by the Swallow Coachbuilding Company (1935) Limited. But the origins of the company date back to 1922 when William Lyons and William Walmsley established the Swallow Sidecar Company.

From the initial manufacture of distinctive motorcycle sidecars at its works in Blackpool the company moved on to building bodies on Austin Seven chassis. In May 1927 the Austin Swallow two-seater made its public debut. They may have been diminutive, but their looks were nevertheless elegant and refined, echoing in many ways what others were doing on bigger vehicles, but displayed a very distinctive styling. Also in 1927, the firm's name was changed to the Swallow Sidecar and Coachbuilding Company. By 1928 the volume of work had increased to the point that a move to a new factory in Coventry was made to be nearer to suppliers and a larger pool of skilled labour. Until 1931 production was of custom built bodies on a number of other manufacturer's chassis in a variety of body styles from open tourers to four seater saloons, all built using aluminum over wood frame bodies. Some of the chassis used included Austin, Wolseley, Standard, Morris and Fiat. Swallow cars were generally sporty looking, but the problem was that their looks were not backed up by performance from the chassis and engines used.

William Lyons wanted a way to gain more control over his finished product, and, in 1931 was able to reach agreement with Sir John Black of the Standard Motor Company, to produce and sell to him a modified chassis with the Standard 6 cylinder engine. This was to be the basis for Lyons first total design, which was the car that came to be called the SS. By 1931 the Sidecar title had been dropped, although sidecars were still being turned out at a steady rate. As Swallow Coachbuilding continued to expand, so did the range of cars it worked on. Lyons branched out into bigger, more powerful chassis and a particular look started to predominate. At the London Motor Show in October 1931, the company unveiled its first efforts as a motor manufacturer with the rakish SS1. The SS might have stood for Standard Swallow or even Swallow Sports, the name of the original sidecar. Another name change occurred in 1933 when the company became SS Cars Limited. The name change came about because Lyons� firm was now less about building sidecars, far more about car construction.

SS stood, depending on which version you believe, for Standard-Swallow, Swallow Standard, Standard Special or Swallow Special. Be as it may, Swallow Coachbuilding manufactured the S.S. I and S.S. II models until 1936 when a new company, S.S. Cars Ltd. was formed to produce the automobiles. The old company name was kept for the firm that manufactured sidecars. Two years later in 1935 the production of sidecars and motor vehicles was split between two separate companies; The Swallow Coachbuilding Company (1935) Ltd and SS Cars Limited. World War II placed motor cars production and designing on hold as factories were converted to weapon manufacturing and it also signaled the end of SS Cars Ltd, the name having acquired a dark and sinister connotation with Hitler's regime. Immediately after the war, in 1945, when car production resumed the decision was made to change the the name of SS Cars Ltd to Jaguar Cars Ltd. At the same time Lyons decided to divest himself of the sidecar business and concentrate his efforts on motor vehicle production.

Negotiations about the disposal of the Swallow Coachbuilding Company with Eric Sanders resulted in the sale of the motor-cycle sidecar business to Helliwells, a manufacturer of aircraft components based at Walsall Airport. Production of Swallow sidecars continued at the Walsall Airport works along with the Swallow Gadabout a motor-scooter designed by Frank Rainbow . In 1950 the Helliwell Group, including Swallow Coachbuilding, was acquired by Tube Investments Ltd, and Swallow became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the giant TI Group. Early in 1953 Frank Rainbow began work on the design of the Swallow Doretti , a sportscar which was built at the Walsall Airport works from 1954 to 1955. About 276 cars were constructed before production was abruptly halted by a complely unexpected management decision from the TI Group, the parent company of the Swallow Coachbuilding Company.

Question: What did the Swallow Sidecar Company become in 1945
Answer: Jaguar Cars